City Pulse

NYFW: Backstage at Tadashi Shoji

By Amelia Mularz

Last Thursday Katy Perry and Rihanna may have stolen the show at the MTV VMAs, but the two big stars backstage at the Tadashi Shoji show were MAC’s BB cream and the red suede shoes on Mr. Shoji’s feet.

Heads turned when the designer arrived to meet the press in a cool ensemble of green pants, an orange-checkered shirt and rouge footwear. And in a manner befitting a fashioner in ruby red loafers, Tadashi Shoji took the crowd on a stylish journey with pieces inspired by California, the Gobi Desert, and even ancient China.

There were embroidered sheaths, lacy frocks, and ikat print dresses. Even the more casual looks, with their lace collars and illusion necklines, were just as exciting as the glamorous evening gowns with full tulle skirts.

While the designer was all about color (in his collection, as well as his own personal attire) MAC’s Luc Bouchard went in the opposite direction for the show’s makeup. With a look that was clean and slightly pearly, the MAC team focused on prepping the skin. Bouchard explained, “I wanted to create a contrast to the colors in the collection. It’s like a cute little angel in contrast to chaotic color.”

That’s where the evening’s other star comes in – MAC’s Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm ($30) had a smoothing, and subtle lightening effect that perfectly captured the clean aesthetic. From there, Bouchard kept things simple with a bit of powder, concealer, a little mascara, and highlighter on the nose and in the ‘v’ of the upper lip. The lips got a dose of Lip Conditioner ($15) and a dab of Clear Lipglass ($15) just before Tadashi Shoji, in all his colorful glory, sent his creations down the runway.

Originally published September 2012

Tadashi Shoji’s Runway Angels